Riley and Maya were both laying in bed completely naked together. Riley laid on her side pressed against Maya who lay on her back. Riley then opened her eyes as she felt sun light come into the morning. Riley then stood up completely nude as she went over to the window and admired the sun light. Maya then opened her eyes and gazed upon Riley's naked backside and behind as she said, "As much as I enjoy this view, will you not come back to bed my love?" Riley turned around and smiled. Riley then began to put her underwear back on followed by her clothes as she said, "I would very much wish to my love. But I am still a Montague with many members of the Capulet family still desiring to cause harm to me. If I am to live to see you another day, I must leave." Maya then sat up as she said, "But what of us? How are we to build a life together if we must continue to be separate?" Riley then said, "I will find a place for us to live outside of town. Close enough for us to still see our families, but far enough so that they will not interfere with our lives. Simply wait and be ready to leave at a moment's haste my love." Maya smiled as she said, "I will. Be not gone for too long." Riley then said, "I will return for you. That I promise." Riley and Maya then kissed each other passionately for a moment. Then Riley ran over to the window and used a rope to climb out. Maya simply remained naked in bed looking out the window. Suddenly the door to Maya's bedroom opened and Maya's mother: Queen Katy appeared. A startled Maya immediately covered her nakedness with a bed sheet as she said, "Mother? What is it?" Queen Katy then said, "It's awful Maya. Your... your father has been murdered. Rumors say it was a Montague that did it." Maya then hung her head low as she said, "I... I know. Word reached me early." Queen Katy then said, "I see you are as troubled as I am. Our family must be protected by a strong man now. Which is why you must marry Prince Lucas tonight." A startled Maya said, "What!? I do not need a man to protect me now. In fact I'm already..." Queen Katy then said, "Enough daughter. It is not a suggestion. It is an order. You will thank me in time. But until then, you will be Prince Lucas' blushing bride. And there shall be guards posted near your door and window at all times until then. Don't think I don't know that you sneak out of here often to do heaven knows what." A worried looking Maya then said, "But I... but I... Oh my. Mother... can you at least have the good Friar Farkle come here to visit me to help with my... wedding jitters." Queen Katy sighed and then said, "Very well."
Maya who now fully clothed in her white dress paced back and forth in her room. From the doorway, Farkle entered as he said, "Dear princess. I've heard the news of what your mother has ordered." Maya looked at Farkle with panic in her face as she said, "I am so hurt inside dear friar. I don't know what to do. I need a way out of this marriage and now even out of my family forever. But I don't know." Farkle sighed and said, "Princes... you should know... I'm not the holiest of friars. For I dabble in magic." A startled Maya said, "You mean witch craft?" Farkle then said, "Not exactly. For I am the descendant of the assistant of the once great magician Merlin who served King Arthur. I do not have all of Merlin's many spells and potions but I do have a few. One of his potions which I have brought for you." Farkle then took out a small beaker of a strange pink liquid. As Farkle handed the beaker to Maya he said, "This potion will cause your body to sleep and simulate death for forty eight hours. You family will think you are dead and put you in the Capulet crypt. When you awake, you will sneak out of the crypt and be able to live the rest of your days with Riley in peace." Maya then looked at the beaker as she said, "And what of Riley?" Farkle then said, "I will inform Riley myself of this ruse so that word of your supposed death does not startle her. Now do what you must and I shall do likewise." Farkle then walked out of the room as Maya stood still looking at the potion in her hands.
Six hours later, Queen Katy knocked on the door to Maya's bedroom as she said, "Daughter. It is time for you to be married. Daughter? Why do you not answer." Queen Katy then opened the door to Maya's bedroom and suddenly had a look of horror on her face as she saw Maya laying motionless on the floor. Queen Katy then ran over to Maya to check her pulse and then said, "No! Oh no! Not my own daughter. NO!"
Another six hours later, Farkle slowly walked out of the church in the evening as he looked around and then began to walk down a street. Suddenly two palace guards appeared before Farkle and stopped him. A startled Farkle said, "Yes sirs. Can I help you?" One of the palace guards then said, "Princess Maya is dead and you were one of the last people to speak to her before she passed. We would like to ask you some questions." Farkle then said, "I didn't kill her if that's what you're inferring." The guard then said, "Perhaps but it's still policy for us to detain any possible suspects for some time as we investigate the murder." A nervous looking Farkle said, "And how long would this investigation take." The guard then said, "A day and a half at least." A very nervous looking Farkle said, "Oh no."
In Riley's bedroom Riley was packing a bag as she said, "So long old life. Once I find a new home, I shall truly begin my new life with my love." Suddenly Josh ran into the bedroom and said, "Dear cousin. I bring troubling news." Riley then said, "What is it?" Josh then said, "Princess Maya... the word from the palace is... she's dead." Riley had a look of horror go across her face as she said, "What!? She... no... I... I have to see her. I... I need to see her!" Josh then said, "Be strong and patient cousin. The Capulet family will kill you on sight if you approach her body. Her funeral will last twenty four hours. Your earliest chance to see her will be when she's placed in the Capulet crypt in a day and a half." Riley then hung her her head low as she said, "Then in a day and a half, I shall inspect her body to see if this news is true." Josh then sighed and left the room. Then Riley fell onto her bed and began to sob loudly.
A day and a half later, Farkle walked out the front door of the palace with a guard. As Farkle stepped out he said, "Thank you for letting me leave without incident." The guard nodded and said, "Have a good day friar." The guard then walked away. Farkle then immediately began to run as he said, "I hope I haven't missed my opportunity to inform Riley."
In the Capulet Crypt which was underground, Maya lay on a stone bed motionless. From a nearby doorway, Riley entered and her face began to be filled with tears as she saw Maya. Riley felt for Maya's pulse and then fell to the ground. Riley then said to herself, "It's true. My one true love is dead." Riley then stood up again and looked down at Maya. As Riley gazed upon Maya's face she said, "My wife. Death has taken you from me. For apparently it decided to love you more than I. But I refuse to let anything keep us separated." Riley then took out a beaker of green liquid from her pocket. As Riley starred at the liquid she said, "I came prepared in the event I discovered you had indeed passed my love. I refuse to be separated from you for one minute more. For what I have here is poison. Poison that shall kill me and ensure my body remains with yours in this tomb forever. And hopefully our spirits will meet in the reality that exists beyond death itself." Riley then immediately drank the poison. Riley suddenly began to feel dizzy as she said, "So I die with a kiss." Riley then kissed Maya briefly on the lips and then fell to the ground with her eyes already closed. Suddenly Maya's eyes opened. Maya then got up and said, "Riley?" Maya then looked at Riley on the ground as she said, "No. My love. What have you done!?" Suddenly Farkle entered into the room and saw Riley laying on the ground with Maya looking down upon her. Farkle then said, "No. I was too late." An angry Maya looked at Farkle as she said, "Friar Farkle. You were supposed to..." Farkle then said, "I know my princess. But the palace guards detained me thinking I had killed you. And because of that... your wife assumed you had indeed passed on." Maya began to cry as she touched Riley's cheeks and said, "You said you had magic friar. Is there any potion or spell you have that could bring her..." Farkle turned his head and said, "No. But it takes time for a body to completely die. I do have a potion that could preserve Riley's life. It's a potion created from one of Merlin's most powerful spells." Maya then said, "What kind of spell is it?" Farkle then said, "A spell that causes one's soul to be reincarnated in the future. Reborn if you will. In a world and form that will give them another chance to seek what they had in this life." Maya then said, "So your potion will let my love live again but in another time? I... Give it to her!" Farkle then held Riley's head in his hand and poured a strange blue potion in Riley's mouth. Riley's body then glowed for a moment and then her face looked pale. Farkle sighed and said, "It is done. Princess Maya, I... I am sorry for your loss. Words can not express how terrible I feel that this has happened." Maya then took a deep breath and said, "There is one thing you can do to make up for your mistake." Farkle then said, "Anything. Just say it." Maya then said, "Let me drink the same potion you just gave Riley. If she is to be reincarnated in a future world one day, then I wish to be reincarnated with her. I will not let her live without me." Farkle nodded as he handed Maya the strange blue potion. Maya then drank the potion and then began to slowly fall down to the ground towards Riley as she said, "I will find you again my love. No matter who we are reincarnated as one day... I will find you." The Maya fell next to Riley and then her face became pale and her body stopped moving. Farkle looked down at the women with sadness and tears in his face. Farkle then looked up as he said, "I will share the story of your love with others dear maidens. I will write down the truth in my journals, but when I tell it with my mouth: I shall use your alternate names. For even the story of a young man and woman who die under these circumstances is still as tragic. For generations, no one will know a story of more woe, than the tale of Juliet and her Romeo."
*450 Years Later
At Abigail Adams High School, Cory Matthews stood in front of his class of high school students as he said, "So did anyone watch the news last night?" At the front of the class Maya Hart said, "No Matthews. We were all busy watching the premiere of the new season of Red Planet Diaries." Riley Matthews who was sitting next to her best friend Maya said, "It was a two hour long premiere. It was amazing!" Cory sighed and then said, "Well archaeologists recently discovered some lost artifacts underneath a church in Europe recently. There they found old journals from church friars in the sixteenth century. One journal of which reveals what could possibly be the original real life story that later influenced the William Shakespeare's play of Romeo and Juliet." Riley then said, "Ooo. That was my favorite play we did back in middle school. Lucas was such a handsome Romeo." Lucas who was sitting behind Riley smiled and said, "Why thank you Riley." Cory then said, "Well it turns out Romeo may have not been a man. According the the journal, it indicates that Romeo was actually a woman and it was because of the two lovers' same sex marriage, that the gender of Romeo was changed." As Riley listened she said, "Hmm. Strange." Then the bell rang and all of the students began to leave the classroom and then school. Riley and Maya then began walking home together as Riley said, "I just think it's so weird Maya. Romeo and Juliet is regarded as one of the greatest love stories of all time. And it turns out their story wasn't at all what we thought it was." Maya then rolled her eyes as she said, "It's just crazy stuff that happened to old people long ago Riley. Besides. Romeo and Juliet, whether they were a straight or gay couple or whatever, could never have had a relationship as strong as our friendship. What we have is the strongest thing in existence." Riley then said, "You think?" Maya then kissed Riley on the cheek and said, "Yeah." Both Riley and Maya began to blush as Riley said, "Maya... you've never kissed me on the cheek before. What brought that on?" Maya then said, "Really? I haven't? I don't know. I just... felt like we had done something like that before." Riley then smiled as she held Maya's hand and the two began to walk down the sidewalk together.
THE END
*Writers' Notes - So how about that for a twist ending? The happy couple dies together and yet still lives together too. For those that read this tale from beginning to end, thank you. I have always respected the original Romeo and Juliet play in some ways, but hated in others. This story was my chance to essentially improve the classic tale with modern sensibilities. As for this final act, until the epilogue scene: this mostly played out like the original. The biggest change though was the friar trying to deliver his message. In the original story, the messenger simply didn't get to Romeo on time. That part always bothered me. It meant that Romeo and Juliet simply died because of the speed of snail mail. So I had the tragedy become more tragic by having the messenger (in this version: Friar Farkle) be prevented from having any chance to deliver the messenger. Thus no parties were at fault here. It was simply life working against them. As for the ending, I had always intended to have Riley and Maya be reincarnated into the proper Girl Meets World characters. I just liked the idea of a greater power influencing those two to be close from the beginning. Again, hope you all liked this story. Thanks for reading.